Clothes-line connector



oooooooo J; GEHPUS.v

cLo TTTTTT NE o NNNN oToR.

Y No. 543,467. Patented July 30, 1895.

UNITED l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN vCEHFUS, O'F ALBANY, NEW YORK.

CLOTHES-LIN E CONNECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,467, dated July 30, 1895.

Application iiled March 20, 1895.

To a/ZZ whom t may con/cern,.- v

Be it known that I, JOHN CEHFUS, a citizen Aof the United States, residing at Albany, inl

' y I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

land exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to clothes-line connectors. j

The object of myinvention is to provide a device of this character by which the sagging of clothes-lines is reduced to a minimum, and which shall be simple of construction, durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production.

`With these objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts,-which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view of a clothes-line showin g my improved clothes-line connector applied. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the connector. with the jaws open. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the jaws closed. Fig. 4 isa front view showing the position of the .lever when the jaws are closed.

l denotes the jawsrof the connector, which are connected at their upper ends and are preferably formed of spring metal, the energy of which is exerted to hold the jaws open. 4

2 denotes a grooved wheel journaled between the upper ends ofthe jaws and which is adapted to be supported and roll on the top clothes-line 3. The inner faces of the lower ends of the jaws are provided with transverse registering grooves 4, which are adapted to receive the lower clothes-line 4.

5 denotes an angle-lever, which is pivoted to the lower end of one of the jaws. This lever is providedvwith a curved seat 6, which 1 engages a lug 7, projecting from the sidevof the opposite jaw, which has a slot 8 formed in its lower end to permit of the lever being swungupward and its seat to engage with the lug, as shown in Fig. 3.

Serial No. 542,567. (No model.) i

In operation, the jaws being open, the device is passed over the top line and its grooved wheel or roller brought into engagement therev with. The lower line, from which the clothes jaws until it is opposite the transverse grooves 4, when the lever 5 is swung upward and locked to the lug '7. The lower line will now to a minimum. y

This device is particularly adapted for pulley-lines-z'. e., lo0p-lines supported by pulleys, as shown in Fig. l-although it is evident that I may apply the device to ixed lines arranged one above the other.

I have in the present instance shown one connector, but it is to be understood that as many may be employed as desired.

vFrom they foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, thev operation of my invention will be readily understood.

By means of my device a person is allowed to stand at one point and by pulling on the line strip it of the clothes, and the clothes will be prevented from trailing'on the ground as they are drawn toward the person.

Having thus described my invention, I

of the United Statesy 4 The combination with two spring jaws, connected at their upper ends and provided with transverse'grooves in their inner faces at their lowerl ends, one of said jaws provided with a outer side, a wheel journaled between the upper endsof the jaws,'and an angle lever pivoted to the lower end of one of the jaws and provided with a curved seat to engage the lug on the otherl jaw, substantially as set forth. l 'n In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Vitnessesz- WM. S. DYER, GEORGE B. YOUNG.

slot at its lower end and with a lug on its JOHN cnHFUs. t

are to be hung, is now passed between the be securely supported and its sagging reduced claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l l 

